Archive for Mets

Job Posting: New York Mets – Multiple Associate and Intern Openings

Associate, Amateur Scouting

Locations:
Citi Field – Queens, New York

Status: Full time

Summary:
Seeking two individuals to support the Amateur Scouting Department in the day-to-day operations, research projects, and administration tasks. This is an entry-level position that is looking to be filled immediately and will end in late- November. This is a fixed-term position that will run through the 2023 Minor League season.

Essential Duties & Responsibilities:

  • Process daily scout video from our amateur scouts.
  • Input, map, and/or tag any Trackman data and stats in our database/website.
  • In-depth research projects from either your own ideas or directed from the department.
  • Opportunity to write evaluations and reports on upcoming draftees.
  • Weekly meetings that will require important notetaking.

Qualifications:

  • Bachelor’s degree preferred.
  • Experience with SQL
  • Proficiency in either R or Python is a plus; but not required
  • Familiarity with baseball specific data (i.e., Trackman, blast motion, k-vest) and knowledge of current baseball research.
  • Prior playing or knowledge in baseball/softball is a plus; but not required
  • Proficiency in Microsoft Office.
  • Ability to work evenings, weekends, or holiday hours with willingness to adjust availability to the baseball schedule.
  • Strong verbal communication and collaborative skills.
  • Spanish speaking skills is a plus; but not required


The above information is intended to describe the general nature, type, and level of work to be performed. The information is not intended to be an exhaustive or complete list of all responsibilities, duties, and skills required for this position. Nothing in this job description restricts management’s right to assign or reassign duties and responsibilities to this job at any time. The individual selected may perform other related duties as assigned or requested.

The New York Mets recognize the importance of a diverse workforce and value the unique qualities individuals of various backgrounds and experiences can offer to the Organization. Our continued success depends heavily on the quality of our workforce. The Organization is committed to providing employees with the opportunity to develop to their fullest potential

Salary Range: $18/hr

To Apply:
To apply, please follow this link.


Associate, Baseball Systems

Locations:
Clover Park – Port Saint Lucie, Florida
NYSEG Stadium – Binghamton, New York
Maimonides Park – Brooklyn, New York
NBT Bank Stadium – Syracuse, New York

Status: Full time

Core Objectives:
The New York Mets Baseball Systems Associates will be responsible for the oversight of video, technology, and administrative needs at our different Minor League affiliates. This is a fixed-term position that will run through the 2023 Minor League season.

Elective Paths:
This position will also provide each associate the opportunity to choose from our different career development programs integrated within Coaching, Scouting, and Analytics. With consideration to everyone’s area of interest, this initiative will foster the development of specialized skillsets for each individual.

Regarding the selection of the elective paths, the supervisor will consider several factors when determining the path in which the associate will be most impactful. Once the supervisor and associate agree on a topic, objectives for a long-term project will be created. The associate will then collaborate with leaders from relevant branches of Baseball Operations throughout the season to complete their assigned project.

Essential Duties & Responsibilities:

  • Assist players and coaching staff with accessing all video and data needs.
  • Operate stadium Hawk-Eye system to be sure data is being collected accurately.
  • Manage the setup and operation of all baseball technology to be sure data is being collected as accurately as possible.
  • Utilize proprietary software to processes both data and video for games and any early work requests including batting practice, bullpens or individual work.
  • Compile advanced scouting reports to be utilized prior to each series.
  • Assist front office staff with administrative needs, including meal money distribution, hotel reservations and rooming lists.
  • Travel with the team on all road trips, while being responsible for all technology equipment on the road.

Qualifications:

  • Bachelor’s degree is strongly preferred
  • Strong communication, organization skills, mentality, and eagerness to learn.
  • Knowledge of baseball technologies such as Hawk-Eye, TrackMan, Blast Motion, etc.
  • Strong knowledge pertaining to information technology including proficiencies with Excel and other Microsoft Office software.
  • Experience with video editing software, such as Premiere, Photoshop and Illustrator is a plus.
  • Spanish speaking skills is a plus
  • SQL/Analytical experience is a plus
  • Must have a valid driver’s license
  • Must be able to lift and carry up to 50 lbs.
  • Ability to work evenings, weekends, or holiday hours.

The above information is intended to describe the general nature, type, and level of work to be performed. The information is not intended to be an exhaustive or complete list of all responsibilities, duties, and skills required for this position. Nothing in this job description restricts management’s right to assign or reassign duties and responsibilities to this job at any time. The individual selected may perform other related duties as assigned or requested.

The New York Mets recognize the importance of a diverse workforce and value the unique qualities individuals of various backgrounds and experiences can offer to the Organization. Our continued success depends heavily on the quality of our workforce. The Organization is committed to providing employees with the opportunity to develop to their fullest potential.

Brooklyn Salary Range: $18/hr

To Apply:
To apply, please follow this link.


Associate, Minor League Analytics (Affiliates)

Locations:
Maimonides Park – Brooklyn, New York
New York Mets Complex – Dominican Republic
NYSEG Stadium – Binghamton, New York
Clover Park – Port Saint Lucie, Florida
NBT Bank Stadium – Syracuse, New York

Status: Full time

Summary:
The New York Mets are seeking Minor League Associate in Baseball Analytics. Each Analyst will be assigned to one of the Mets’ minor league sites (AAA Syracuse, AA Binghamton, High-A Brooklyn, Low-A Port St. Lucie, Complex in Port St. Lucie, Dominican Republic Academy). Candidates are welcome to apply to only certain sites, so long as they clarify during interviews which one(s) they would be willing to go to. The Analyst will spend the full year traveling with their respective club, from Spring Training through the end of the season.

Essential Duties & Responsibilities:

  • Drive the direction of Player Plans by working with the Player Development & Performance departments to choose the right individual development focus and find ways to measure progress
  • Work with members of Player Development, including coordinators and the coaching staff, to help the affiliate prepare for games and to help the players develop their skills
  • Work with the other affiliate analysts to help improve each other’s understanding of the game and our minor league players, especially as players transfer from one affiliate to another
  • Interpret data and model-based results on internal reports and websites to help coaches use the information to work with their players
  • Modify existing codebase and develop new automated reports to be used by coaches and players before games
  • Develop a strong understanding of the various types of technology that are used throughout Player Development
  • Provide feedback to the rest of Baseball Analytics and Baseball Systems on reports, models, and tools that relate to Player Development
  • As time permits, analysts will be assigned additional coding and/or statistical modeling projects relating to Player Development
  • Additional ad hoc requests from Baseball Analytics and Player Development in line with these job responsibilities

Qualifications:

  • Bachelor’s degree in a quantitative field or equivalent experience
  • Firm understanding of modern baseball technology
  • Basic proficiency in R, Python, or similar, as well as proficiency in SQL
  • Strong communication skills
  • Fluency in Spanish is a strong plus
  • Statistical modeling experience is a plus
  • Ability to work cooperatively with others
  • Willingness to travel with a minor league team throughout the duration of the season, which includes working nights, weekends, and holidays as dictated by the team’s schedule

The above information is intended to describe the general nature, type, and level of work to be performed. The information is not intended to be an exhaustive or complete list of all responsibilities, duties, and skills required for this position. Nothing in this job description restricts management’s right to assign or reassign duties and responsibilities to this job at any time. The individual selected may perform other related duties as assigned or requested.

The New York Mets recognize the importance of a diverse workforce and value the unique qualities individuals of various backgrounds and experiences can offer to the Organization. Our continued success depends heavily on the quality of our workforce. The Organization is committed to providing employees with the opportunity to develop to their fullest potential.

Salary Range: $18/hr

To Apply:
To apply, please follow this link.


Associate, Minor League Analytics (Citi Field)

Locations:
Citi Field – Queens, New York

Status: Full time

Summary:

The New York Mets are seeking an Associate Analyst in Baseball Analytics. This position is based at Citi Field with the option of remote work available. The Associate Analyst would be in-person at Spring Training with occasional travel to the Mets’ minor league sites (AAA Syracuse, AA Binghamton, High-A Brooklyn, Low-A Port St. Lucie, Complex in Port St. Lucie, Dominican Republic Academy).

Essential Duties & Responsibilities:

  • Perform thorough research analysis on Mets players to help Player Development build and maintain individual Player Plans
  • Execute short-term research on topics pertaining to Player Development
  • Modify existing codebase and develop new automated reports to be used by coaches and players before games
  • Interpret and integrate data and model-based results from internal reports and websites to help coaches use the information to work with their players
  • Ad hoc requests from Baseball Analytics and Player Development in line with these job responsibilities
  • Develop a strong understanding of the various types of technology that are used throughout Player Development
  • Provide feedback to the rest of Baseball Analytics and Baseball Systems on reports, models, and tools that relate to Player Development
  • Work with the other affiliate analysts to help improve each other’s coding abilities and quantitative abilities
  • As time permits, analysts will be assigned additional coding and/or statistical modeling projects relating to Player Development

Qualifications:

  • Bachelor’s degree in a quantitative field or equivalent experience
  • Firm understanding of modern baseball technology
  • Basic proficiency in R, Python, or similar, as well as proficiency in SQL
  • Strong communication skills
  • Statistical modeling experience is a strong plus
  • Fluency in Spanish is a plus
  • Ability to work cooperatively with others
  • Willingness to travel with a minor league team throughout the season, which includes working nights, weekends, and holidays as dictated by the team’s schedule

The above information is intended to describe the general nature, type, and level of work to be performed. The information is not intended to be an exhaustive or complete list of all responsibilities, duties, and skills required for this position. Nothing in this job description restricts management’s right to assign or reassign duties and responsibilities to this job at any time. The individual selected may perform other related duties as assigned or requested.

The New York Mets recognize the importance of a diverse workforce and value the unique qualities individuals of various backgrounds and experiences can offer to the Organization. Our continued success depends heavily on the quality of our workforce. The Organization is committed to providing employees with the opportunity to develop to their fullest potential.

Salary Range: $18/hr

To Apply:
To apply, please follow this link.


Associate, Video Operations

Locations:
Citi Field – Queens, New York

Status: Full time

Summary:

The New York Mets are seeking an Associate, Video Operations, in the Baseball Analytics department. The Associate should be an individual with a passion for baseball and video technology. The Associate will help our major league coaching staff better prepare our players to face upcoming opponents, and to improve their own quality of play. This is an entry-level position which will run from March 2023 through the end of the 2023 major league season.

Essential Duties & Responsibilities:

  • Help provide specific video content to major league coaches, players, and members of the front office.
  • Edit video in real time as the game is occurring, for use after the game by people in the clubhouse.
  • Help prepare videos for use in player advance meetings before each series and game.
  • Assist with maintaining computer equipment necessary for the performance of job functions.
  • Ensure that the Mets are abiding by all MLB rules relating to the use of video.
  • Assist the Manager and Senior Coordinator of Video Operations in a variety of ad hoc tasks relating to baseball video and data.

Qualifications:

  • Experience with video-editing software.
  • Familiarity with baseball is a strong plus.
  • Detail oriented and organized with ability to balance multiple projects.
  • Strong verbal communication and collaborative skills.
  • Proficiency in Microsoft Office.
  • Ability to work evenings, weekends, or holiday hours with willingness to adjust availability to the baseball schedule.

The above information is intended to describe the general nature, type, and level of work to be performed. The information is not intended to be an exhaustive or complete list of all responsibilities, duties, and skills required for this position. Nothing in this job description restricts management’s right to assign or reassign duties and responsibilities to this job at any time. The individual selected may perform other related duties as assigned or requested.

The New York Mets recognize the importance of a diverse workforce and value the unique qualities individuals of various backgrounds and experiences can offer to the Organization. Our continued success depends heavily on the quality of our workforce. The Organization is committed to providing employees with the opportunity to develop to their fullest potential.

Salary Range: $18/hr

To Apply:
To apply, please follow this link.


Intern, Baseball Analytics

Locations:
Citi Field – Queens, New York

Status: Full time

Summary:

The New York Mets are seeking an intern in Baseball Analytics. The Associate Analyst will join the department for 2-3 months in the summer, during which time they will be assigned one primary statistical project to work on under the guidance of a full-time analyst. At the end of the summer, the associate analyst will be tasked with presenting the project to both technical and non-technical audiences. Additional ad hoc projects may be assigned as well. Prior experience in or knowledge of baseball is not required.

Essential Duties & Responsibilities:

  • Build a statistical model to answer a baseball-related question
  • Present model outputs in an effective way, both for technical and non-technical audiences
  • Communicate well with both the Director and Manager of Baseball Analytics as well as other Baseball Operations personnel to understand the parameters of the research project
  • Other ad hoc projects as needed

Qualifications:

  • Must have completed at least two years of college, with a preference for candidates majoring in a quantitative field
  • Strong background in a wide variety of statistical techniques
  • Strong proficiency in R, Python, or similar, as well as strong proficiency in SQL
  • Proficiency with Microsoft Office
  • Strong communication skills
  • Ability to work cooperatively with others, and a willingness to learn from the other members of the department

The above information is intended to describe the general nature, type, and level of work to be performed. The information is not intended to be an exhaustive or complete list of all responsibilities, duties, and skills required for this position. Nothing in this job description restricts management’s right to assign or reassign duties and responsibilities to this job at any time. The individual selected may perform other related duties as assigned or requested.

The New York Mets recognize the importance of a diverse workforce and value the unique qualities individuals of various backgrounds and experiences can offer to the Organization. Our continued success depends heavily on the quality of our workforce. The Organization is committed to providing employees with the opportunity to develop to their fullest potential.

Salary Range: $18/hr

To Apply:
To apply, please follow this link.

The content in this posting was created and provided solely by the New York Mets.


Job Posting: New York Mets – Multiple Affiliate Openings

Affiliate Development Coach

Locations:
Clover Park – Port Saint Lucie, Florida
NYSEG Stadium – Binghamton, New York
NBT Bank Stadium – Syracuse, New York

Summary:
The New York Mets are seeking a Development Coach at the Minor League affiliate level. The primary responsibility of this role will be to work in conjunction with the affiliate coaching staff and analyst to produce individualized player plans for each Minor League player. We expect these roles to grow into the next generation of coaches and leadership with the Mets.

Essential Duties & Responsibilities:

  • Partner with the hitting, pitching, and bench coach at each affiliate to provide productive environments for players to reach their goals
  • Bridge sub-departments within Player Development to further a more interdisciplinary approach to player plans
  • Work with affiliate staff to integrate principles of skill acquisition into daily practices
  • Participate in structured learning opportunities directly related to furthering the New York Mets’ understanding within the field of skill acquisition and motor learning
  • Assist the Baseball Systems department in the process of data collection, specifically surrounding the intention and contextualization of practice data
  • Propose and help execute novel player development research projects that will build long-term competitive advantages for the Mets
  • Dedicated core competency training throughout the year – specifically in the domains of each sub-department of Player Development

Qualifications:

  • Experience within a professional, collegiate or facility setting in one of the following areas:
  • Hitting/Pitching/Fielding development, Strength & Conditioning, Analytics, Sports Science, or Biomechanics
  • Understanding of, and ability to operate, general baseball technology used by the Mets within their player development process
  • Ability to throw batting practice, hit fungoes, and generally facilitate a baseball practice
  • Disposition to actively communicate across different disciplines within Player Development
  • Mindset/desire to learn, especially from those on their own affiliate staff
  • Spanish fluency OR a desire to learn basic components of the language

The above information is intended to describe the general nature, type, and level of work to be performed. The information is not intended to be an exhaustive or complete list of all responsibilities, duties, and skills required for this position. Nothing in this job description restricts management’s right to assign or reassign duties and responsibilities to this job at any time. The individual selected may perform other related duties as assigned or requested.

The New York Mets recognize the importance of a diverse workforce and value the unique qualities individuals of various backgrounds and experiences can offer to the Organization. Our continued success depends heavily on the quality of our workforce. The Organization is committed to providing employees with the opportunity to develop to their fullest potential.

To Apply:
To apply, please follow this link.


Affiliate Hitting Coach, Player Development

Location:
Clover Park – Port Saint Lucie, Florida

Summary:

The New York Mets are seeking a Hitting Coach at the Minor League affiliate level. The primary responsibility of this role will be to serve the development of the affiliate’s hitters. Specifically, the affiliate Hitting Coach will be tasked with monitoring, executing, and communicating each player’s individual player plan alongside the organizational hitting philosophy.

Essential Duties & Responsibilities:

  • In conjunction with the Hitting Coordinator and the entirety of the department, design daily practice plans that provide productive environments for each hitter’s development 
  • Utilize all relevant information/data across Player Development sub-departments in order to best inform each hitter’s individualized plan 
  • Utilize the available tools and technology to create efficient feedback loops for each hitter in conjunction with the Baseball Systems and Baseball Analytics departments 
  • In conjunction with the Hitting Coordinator and the entirety of the department, ensure that each hitter is receiving work in environments focused on their primary deficiencies 
  • Facilitate the creation of each day’s schedule to ensure the appropriate time is given for each hitter’s on and off-field needs 

Qualifications:

  •  Experience working with hitters in a professional organization, a collegiate organization, or a facility setting 
  • Fluency and ability to utilize relevant data streams provided by the Mets 
  • Ability to throw batting practice, hit fungoes, and generally facilitate a baseball practice 
  • Disposition to actively communicate across different disciplines within Player Development 
  • Mindset/desire to learn, especially from those on their own affiliate staff 
  • Spanish fluency OR a desire to learn basic components of the language  

The above information is intended to describe the general nature, type, and level of work to be performed. The information is not intended to be an exhaustive or complete list of all responsibilities, duties, and skills required for this position. Nothing in this job description restricts management’s right to assign or reassign duties and responsibilities to this job at any time. The individual selected may perform other related duties as assigned or requested.

The New York Mets recognize the importance of a diverse workforce and value the unique qualities individuals of various backgrounds and experiences can offer to the Organization. Our continued success depends heavily on the quality of our workforce. The Organization is committed to providing employees with the opportunity to develop to their fullest potential.

To Apply:
To apply, please follow this link.


Affiliate Manager, Player Development

Locations:
Clover Park – Port Saint Lucie, Florida
New York Mets Complex – Dominican Republic
NYSEG Stadium – Binghamton, New York
NBT Bank Stadium – Syracuse, New York

Summary:
The New York Mets are seeking a Manager at the Minor League affiliate level. The primary responsibility of this role will be to create the daily lineup and schedule of the affiliated team in conjunction with the Front Office. In particular, they will be responsible for facilitating a winning environment for the minor league players at their affiliate.

Essential Duties & Responsibilities:

  • Create lineups and daily schedules in conjunction with Front Office
  • Engage the players and staff of the affiliate daily by emphasizing the fundamentals of the Mets organization in the Minor Leagues
  • Utilize all available/relevant information across Player Development sub-departments to drive development with each player
  • Facilitate innovation within the affiliate staff as it relates to practice design, feedback loops, and constraints, particularly by adapting the schedule to the needs of players and staff
  • Create a monthly report on the state of the clubhouse, with particular attention paid to individual players’ health and well-being

Qualifications:

  • Experience within a professional organization as an on-field coach
  • Mindset to challenge conventional baseball norms
  • Strong understanding of workload management and the ability to integrate that into scheduling
  • Ability to throw batting practice, hit fungoes, and generally facilitate a baseball practice
  • Disposition to actively communicate across different disciplines within Player Development
  • Strong command of pre-game and in-game tactics and strategies
  • Mindset/desire to learn, especially from those on their own affiliate staff – Spanish fluency OR a desire to learn basic components of the language

The above information is intended to describe the general nature, type, and level of work to be performed. The information is not intended to be an exhaustive or complete list of all responsibilities, duties, and skills required for this position. Nothing in this job description restricts management’s right to assign or reassign duties and responsibilities to this job at any time. The individual selected may perform other related duties as assigned or requested.

The New York Mets recognize the importance of a diverse workforce and value the unique qualities individuals of various backgrounds and experiences can offer to the Organization. Our continued success depends heavily on the quality of our workforce. The Organization is committed to providing employees with the opportunity to develop to their fullest potential.

To Apply:
To apply, please follow this link.


Affiliate Pitching Coach, Player Development

Locations:
Clover Park – Port Saint Lucie, Florida
NYSEG Stadium – Binghamton, New York
NBT Bank Stadium – Syracuse, New York

Summary:
The New York Mets are seeking a Pitching Coach at the Minor League affiliate level. The primary responsibility of this role will be to serve the development of the affiliate’s pitchers. Specifically, the affiliate Pitching Coach will be tasked with monitoring, executing, and communicating on each pitcher’s individual player plan alongside the organizational pitching philosophy.

Essential Duties & Responsibilities:

  • In conjunction with the Pitching Director and the entirety of the department, design daily practice plans that provide productive environments for each pitcher’s development 
  • Utilize all relevant information/data across Player Development sub-departments in order to best inform each pitcher’s individualized plan 
  • Utilize the available tools and technology to create efficient feedback loops for each pitcher in conjunction with the Baseball Systems and Baseball Analytics departments 
  • In conjunction with the Pitching Director and the entirety of the department, ensure that proper throwing workload guidelines are adhered to, both in practice and game settings 
  • Facilitate the creation of each day’s schedule to ensure the appropriate time is given for each pitcher’s on and off-field needs 

Qualifications:

  •  Experience working with pitchers in a professional organization, a collegiate organization, or a facility setting 
  • Fluency and ability to utilize relevant data streams provided by the Mets 
  • Ability to throw batting practice, hit fungoes, and generally facilitate a baseball practice 
  • Disposition to actively communicate across different disciplines within Player Development 
  • Mindset/desire to learn, especially from those on their own affiliate staff 
  • Spanish fluency OR a desire to learn basic components of the language  

The above information is intended to describe the general nature, type, and level of work to be performed. The information is not intended to be an exhaustive or complete list of all responsibilities, duties, and skills required for this position. Nothing in this job description restricts management’s right to assign or reassign duties and responsibilities to this job at any time. The individual selected may perform other related duties as assigned or requested.

The New York Mets recognize the importance of a diverse workforce and value the unique qualities individuals of various backgrounds and experiences can offer to the Organization. Our continued success depends heavily on the quality of our workforce. The Organization is committed to providing employees with the opportunity to develop to their fullest potential.

To Apply:
To apply, please follow this link.

The content in this posting was created and provided solely by the New York Mets.


JAWS and the 2023 Hall of Fame Ballot: Billy Wagner

© RVR Photos-USA TODAY Sports

The following article is part of Jay Jaffe’s ongoing look at the candidates on the BBWAA 2023 Hall of Fame ballot. Originally written for the 2016 election at SI.com, it has been updated to reflect recent voting results as well as additional research. For a detailed introduction to this year’s ballot, and other candidates in the series, use the tool above; an introduction to JAWS can be found here. For a tentative schedule, and a chance to fill out a Hall of Fame ballot for our crowdsourcing project, see here. All WAR figures refer to the Baseball-Reference version unless otherwise indicated.

Billy Wagner was the ultimate underdog. Undersized and from both a broken home and an impoverished rural background, he channeled his frustrations into throwing incredibly hard — with his left hand, despite being a natural righty, for he broke his right arm twice as a child. Scouts overlooked him because he wasn’t anywhere close to six feet tall, but they couldn’t disregard his dominance over collegiate hitters using a mid-90s fastball. The Astros made him a first-round pick, and once he was converted to a relief role, his velocity went even higher.

Thanks to outstanding lower-body strength, coordination, and extraordinary range of motion, the 5-foot-10 Wagner was able to reach 100 mph with consistency — 159 times in 2003, according to The Bill James Handbook. Using a hard slider learned from teammate Brad Lidge, he kept blowing the ball by hitters into his late 30s to such an extent that he owns the record for the highest strikeout rate of any pitcher with at least 800 innings. He was still dominant when he walked away from the game following the 2010 season, fresh off posting a career-best ERA. Read the rest of this entry »


Job Posting: New York Mets – Computer Vision Analyst

Computer Vision Analyst, Baseball Analytics

Location: Citi Field – Queens, New York
Status: Full time

Summary:
The New York Mets are seeking a Computer Vision Analyst in the Baseball Analytics Department. The Analyst will contribute to multiple areas of Baseball Operations, working closely with the Data Science group with a focus on Computer Vision- and Machine Learning-related projects. All candidates must demonstrate strong educational background and/or work experience in computer vision or related analytics fields, but prior experience in or knowledge of baseball is not required.

Essential Duties & Responsibilities:

  • Drive the development of computer vision systems to create new datasets that support the needs of various departments within Baseball Operations
  • Build statistical models to analyze data derived from CV processes
  • Advise other analysts on projects that could benefit from machine learning expertise
  • Interpret data and report conclusions drawn from their analyses
  • Present model outputs in an effective way, both for technical and non-technical audiences
  • Evaluate and recommend new or emerging modeling techniques and baseball technologies
  • Communicate well with both the Director of Baseball Analytics and other Baseball Operations personnel to understand the parameters of any particular research project

Qualifications:

  • BS, Masters, or PhD in Computer Science, Statistics, or a related field
  • Experience in computer vision, image and video analysis, statistical modeling, and machine learning
  • Strong proficiency in R, Python, or similar, as well as strong proficiency in SQL
  • Basic knowledge of data engineering and front-end development is a plus, for the purpose of communicating with those departments
  • Strong communication skills
  • Ability to work cooperatively with others, and to take control of large-scale projects with little or no daily oversight
  • Prior experience in or knowledge of baseball is a plus, but is not required

The above information is intended to describe the general nature, type, and level of work to be performed. The information is not intended to be an exhaustive or complete list of all responsibilities, duties, and skills required for this position. Nothing in this job description restricts management’s right to assign or reassign duties and responsibilities to this job at any time. The individual selected may perform other related duties as assigned or requested.

The New York Mets recognize the importance of a diverse workforce and value the unique qualities individuals of various backgrounds and experiences can offer to the Organization. Our continued success depends heavily on the quality of our workforce. The Organization is committed to providing employees with the opportunity to develop to their fullest potential.

Salary Range:
$97,416.11 – $129,888.15

To Apply:
To apply, please follow this link.

The content in this posting was created and provided solely by the New York Mets.


JAWS and the 2023 Hall of Fame Ballot: Jeff Kent

© Matt Kartozian-USA TODAY Sports

The following article is part of Jay Jaffe’s ongoing look at the candidates on the BBWAA 2023 Hall of Fame ballot. Originally written for the 2014 election at SI.com, it has been updated to reflect recent voting results as well as additional research. For a detailed introduction to this year’s ballot, and other candidates in the series, use the tool above; an introduction to JAWS can be found here. For a tentative schedule, and a chance to fill out a Hall of Fame ballot for our crowdsourcing project, see here. All WAR figures refer to the Baseball-Reference version unless otherwise indicated.

Jeff Kent took a long time to find a home. Drafted by the Blue Jays in 1989, he passed through the hands of three teams that didn’t quite realize the value of what they had. Not until a trade to the Giants in November 1996 — prior to his age-29 season — did he really settle in. Once he did, he established himself as a standout complement to Barry Bonds, helping the Giants become perennial contenders and spending more than a decade as a middle-of-the-lineup force.

Despite his late-arriving stardom and a prickly personality that sometimes rubbed teammates and media the wrong way, Kent earned All-Star honors five times, won an MVP award, and helped four different franchises reach the playoffs a total of seven times. His resumé gives him a claim as the best-hitting second baseman of the post-1960 expansion era — not an iron-clad one, but not one that’s easily dismissed. For starters, he holds the all-time record for most home runs by a second baseman with 351. That’s 74 more than Ryne Sandberg, 85 more than Joe Morgan, and 86 more than Rogers Hornsby — all Hall of Famers, and in Hornsby’s case, one from before the expansion era (note that I’m not counting homers hit while playing other positions). Among players with at least 7,000 plate appearances in their career who spent at least half their time at second base, only Hornsby (.577) has a higher slugging percentage than Kent’s .500. From that latter set, only Hornsby (1.010) and another pre-expansion Hall of Famer, Charlie Gehringer (.884), have a higher OPS than Kent (.855). Read the rest of this entry »


40-Man Roster Deadline Analysis: NL East

© Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

Tuesday’s 40-man roster deadline led to the usual squall of transaction activity, with teams turning over portions of their rosters in an effort to make room for the incoming crop of young rookies. Often, teams with an overflow of viable big leaguers will try to get back what they can for some of those players via trade, but because we’re talking about guys straddling the line between major league viability and Triple-A, those trades tend not to be big enough to warrant an entire post. Over the next few days, I’ll endeavor to cover and analyze the moves made by each team, division by division. Readers can view this as the start of list season, as the players covered in this miniseries tend to be prospects who will get big league time in the next year. I’ll spend more time discussing players who I think need scouting updates or who I haven’t written about in the past. If you want additional detail on some of the more famous names you find below, pop over to The Board for a more thorough report.

The Future Value grades littered throughout these posts may be different than those on the 2022 in-season prospect lists on The Board to reflect my updated opinions, and may be subject to change during the offseason. New to my thinking on this subject and wondering what the FVs mean? Here’s a quick rundown. Note that because we’re talking about close-to-the-majors prospects across this entire exercise, the time and risk component is less present here and these FVs are what I think the players are right now. Read the rest of this entry »


Edwin Díaz Signs Record Contract To Stay With Mets

Edwin Diaz
Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports

One of this winter’s top free agents crossed himself off the list over the weekend, as Edwin Díaz signed a five-year, $102 million contract to remain the Mets’ closer. Díaz was absolutely dominant this season, striking out nearly two batters an inning, resulting in a FIP under 1.00, and avoiding any of the walk or home run flurries that occasionally have marred his résumé. While I’m not particularly a fan of the save stat or the conclusions drawn as a result, him only blowing three saves in 2022 accurately reflects his dominance; he only allowed multiple runs in a single appearance all year, and all three of his blown saves occurred with one-run leads. The deal comes with a $12 million signing bonus, a team option at $20 million for a sixth season, a no-trade provision, and an opt-out after 2025.

Generally speaking, when a pitcher has a microscopic ERA, there’s some measure of luck involved; nobody’s long-term baseline expectation is an ERA of 1.31. So it naturally amuses me that Díaz arguably underperformed his peripherals this season. How often does a pitcher with an ERA that excellent actually have a FIP nearly half a run lower? Not very.

Best ERAs for FIP Underperformers (min. 40 IP)
Player Year IP ERA FIP FIP-ERA
Craig Kimbrel 2012 62.7 1.01 0.78 -0.23
Eric Gagne 2003 82.3 1.20 0.86 -0.34
Edwin Díaz 2022 62.0 1.31 0.90 -0.41
Kenley Jansen 2017 68.3 1.32 1.31 -0.01
Walter Johnson 1910 370.0 1.36 1.28 -0.08
Ed Walsh 1908 464.0 1.42 1.36 -0.06
Christy Mathewson 1908 390.7 1.43 1.26 -0.17
Craig Kimbrel 2017 69.0 1.43 1.42 -0.01
Sergio Romo 2011 48.0 1.50 0.96 -0.54
Aroldis Chapman 2016 58.0 1.55 1.42 -0.13
Rube Waddell 1904 383.0 1.62 1.48 -0.14
Walter Johnson 1908 256.3 1.65 1.47 -0.18
Dave Smith 1987 60.0 1.65 1.54 -0.11
Chief Bender 1909 250.0 1.66 1.52 -0.14
Rob Dibble 1990 98.0 1.74 1.50 -0.24
Chief Bender 1908 138.7 1.75 1.42 -0.33
Red Ames 1908 114.3 1.81 1.39 -0.42
Cy Young 1905 320.7 1.82 1.61 -0.21
Francisco Rodriguez 2004 84.0 1.82 1.64 -0.18
Chad Green 2017 69.0 1.83 1.75 -0.08

Going back to the start of 1901, there have been only 35 player-seasons in which a pitcher had an ERA under 2.00 and had a FIP lower than their ERA (out of 796 possible player-seasons). Only Gagne and Kimbrel had lower ERAs in seasons during which they failed to match their FIP; the average FIP for a pitcher with an ERA between 1.01 and 1.51 is 2.30. Read the rest of this entry »


Job Posting: New York Mets – Director, Performance Technology

Director, Performance Technology

Location: Citi Field – Queens, New York
Status: Full time

Summary:
The New York Mets are seeking a Director, Performance Technology to lead the team responsible for driving the Baseball Operations Department’s use of technology to improve decision making and outcomes across player performance and health, player evaluation, and player development. The Performance Technology Director will oversee the sports science and biomechanics functions within Baseball Operations and will work closely with personnel in Baseball Analytics, Baseball Systems, Data Engineering, and High Performance on the development of models, tools, interfaces, and programming necessary to generate and present insights to players and staff in a highly actionable format. The Performance Technology Director will also collaborate with leaders across all functions within Baseball Operations to successfully develop and implement value-adding technology solutions within those areas. The ideal candidate has worked in a senior sports science or biomechanics role working with elite athletes and possesses extensive experience in evaluating, developing, and implementing technology solutions in that space.

Essential Duties & Responsibilities:

  • Partner with senior leadership to shape the roadmap for the Performance Technology Department and own its execution
  • Oversee the construction and operation of performance labs at the Mets’ Florida complex and at Citi Field
  • Hire and manage a team that will operate lab environments and conduct data capture and research
  • Oversee the department’s efforts in sports science and biomechanics, optimizing athlete performance and availability through technology and research-driven methods
  • Work with analysts and engineers on the development of models, tools, and software designed to generate actionable insights and convey them effectively to players and staff  
  • Work closely with leadership across Baseball Operations to improve systems and processes by identifying problems and developing and implementing technology-driven solutions
  • Ensure the organization has a high awareness of the performance technology landscape and, through a strong process for vetting and testing technology, that it is well-positioned to be an early adopter of high-value technology
  • Manage the department’s budget and make investment recommendations to senior leadership
  • Collaborate with Point72’s Technology Innovation team on the identification and evaluation of emerging technologies with potential applications to baseball
  • Contribute to and help foster a culture of innovation throughout all of Baseball Operations

Qualifications:

  • PhD in Biomechanics, Biomedical Engineering, Kinesiology or other related disciplines or equivalent experience
  • Experience leading and managing a team
  • Experience working with athletes in an elite athletic environment (baseball-specific experience is a plus)
  • 8+ years relevant professional experience
  • Deep knowledge of the performance technology space, including, but not limited to, marker-based and marker less motion capture, wearables, and sensors
  • Experience with research design and conducting scientific research
  • Ability to work cooperatively with others, and to take control of large-scale projects with little or no daily oversight
  • Strong written and verbal communication skills
  • Experience with front-end development and product management is a plus
  • Proficiency in R, Python, or other statistical computing languages is a plus
  • Experience with algorithm development and AI/ML and computer vision-based solutions is a plus
  • Experience working for a technology company on technology for athletic performance is a plus

The above information is intended to describe the general nature, type, and level of work to be performed. The information is not intended to be an exhaustive or complete list of all responsibilities, duties, and skills required for this position. Nothing in this job description restricts management’s right to assign or reassign duties and responsibilities to this job at any time. The individual selected may perform other related duties as assigned or requested.

The New York Mets recognize the importance of a diverse workforce and value the unique qualities individuals of various backgrounds and experiences can offer to the Organization. Our continued success depends heavily on the quality of our workforce. The Organization is committed to providing employees with the opportunity to develop to their fullest potential.

To Apply:
To apply, please follow this link.

The content in this posting was created and provided solely by the New York Mets.


Musgrove Silences the Mets as the Padres Advance to the NLDS

© Wendell Cruz-USA TODAY Sports

There are plenty of ways to win a ballgame. Some teams like to get ‘em on, get ‘em over, and get ‘em in. Some go for pitching, defense, and a three-run homer. One fairly reliable method is to absolutely obliterate the baseball all night long while your pitcher nearly throws a perfect game. On Sunday night, the Padres opted for that approach.

San Diego’s batters crushed everything the Mets could throw at them, while Joe Musgrove allowed no runs, one hit, and one walk over seven shutout innings. He also allowed one person to get very intimate with his ears, but we’ll get to that later.

Coming into the game, much of the talk was about Mets starter Chris Bassitt, who was riding high after posting a 2.94 ERA in the second half of the season. Some predicted that Bassitt’s curveball, which Stuff+ ranked as the best pitch in the game this year, could decide the game, as the Padres usually feast on curves. Instead, it was Bassitt’s fastball that ended up being the issue. Read the rest of this entry »


Mets Force Game 3 Despite Questionable Bullpen Management

© Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports

Coming into last night’s win-or-go-home game for the Mets, the biggest question concerned ace Jacob deGrom. In his last four starts of the season, he tossed 21 innings with an incredible 39-to-4 strikeout to walk ratio, but when he got hit, he got hit hard. He allowed 14 runs in those starts, mostly coming off of six home runs allowed, including three in his last start against Atlanta that ended up deciding the division. Perhaps more importantly, deGrom had averaged just 21.7 batters faced in the regular season, with abysmal results when facing the order a third time. While he looked like normal Jacob deGrom through his first 18 batters of any given start, he allowed a .936 OPS his third time through the lineup, with five homers in 42 plate appearances. What would the Mets do with deGrom if the game entered the later innings in a close situation?

Perhaps unsurprisingly, this exact situation occurred. After setting down the first seven batters in order while touching 101.8 mph on his fastball, Trent Grisham took a triple-digit heater on the outer edge deep into center field for a homer. But deGrom wasn’t out of the inning yet. He allowed Jurickson Profar and Juan Soto to reach base with two outs, but struck out Manny Machado on a perfect slider to escape the jam. deGrom got through the fourth inning unscathed, but it was clear that he didn’t have the near-robotic command that led him to historic success in 2021, especially on his slider. He spiked a few of them, and threw many more off the plate in noncompetitive locations.

Those command issues came into play as deGrom began the fifth inning by walking Grisham on five pitches, three of them sliders low and inside. After a successful sacrifice by Austin Nola, deGrom had to face the Padres’ lineup for the third time. Profar, the Padres leadoff hitter, saw four sliders in the same place before a fifth leaked out over the middle of the plate and singled, driving in the Padres’ second run of the game. The next batter, Soto, lined a 2-0 changeup down the pipe into right field for his second hit of the game. With runners on the corners and just one out in a tie game, deGrom was in a tight spot. But he kicked it back into gear after that. Four consecutive sliders perfectly located on the low and outside corner resulted in three swinging strikes from Machado, and deGrom ended the threat with a 99.4 mph fastball that got Josh Bell whiffing, his hardest-thrown pitch of the inning. Read the rest of this entry »